Arms firm in deal with protesters

Anti-war campaigners have staged regular protests in Brighton

A Brighton arms manufacturer and anti-war protesters have reached a settlement, the High Court has heard.

EDO's action against two groups and 12 people, over a "concerted campaign" of unlawful harassment, began last year.

On Monday, a judge heard the settlement involved the firm paying costs for defendants, and amending an injunction.

He went on to hear argument that EDO's campaign for a permanent injunction against two protesters who refused to accept the agreement should continue.

Mr Justice Walker heard that the legally-aided defendants had given undertakings relating to the future conduct of their long-running protest outside the company's premises.

It was agreed that an existing injunction would be changed so it only applied to named individuals and not unnamed protesters in general.

The protesters who accepted the settlement had to state that he or she "had not in the past intended, and had no intention in the future, to cause harassment to the company contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act".

Defence counsel Stephanie Harrison said the principle had been established that restrictions on the right to protest would only apply to identified individuals.

'Peaceful protest'

An interim injunction was granted last year after the company said its 156 employees at the Brighton plant, as well as security guards and three sub-contractors, had been subjected to intimidation and insults.

Protesters said no EDO workers had been targeted and Smash EDO members had been "involved in a year-long campaign of peaceful protest".

Their action had included a roadblock and a 24-hour rooftop occupation.

The defence systems firm makes weapons parts at its premises in Home Farm Road.